If It's Not Too Much Trouble
by fromhereon
Summary: "It's not that she gets me to do whatever she wants, it's the way she emasculates me while doing it." Dil deals with the unstoppable force that is his cousin on a mission. A taste of From Here On, a fic by Acepilot and LordMalachite. Picture by NewEraOutlaw over at DeviantArt.


**If It's Not Too Much Trouble - A From Here On teaser**

8 - * - * - 8

"Dylan! How's my favorite cousin?" Angelica beamed

"No." Dil said plainly, without even turning away from the mocha latte he was making.

"But I haven't even asked yet." Angelica pouted.

"Still no. Mocha latte with light creme." Dil slid the drink down the counter towards the register.

"But the sale is only for today!"

"Nothing doing, Angelica."

"It would just be for a few hours, honest..."

"I can't."

"And he's an easy mark, trust me."

"Angelica, I don't even work _here_ and I've been roped into it. Can't you see I'm _too busy_?"

"I'll get you a hundred dollar gift card."

Dil was tempted for a moment, then remembered who was asking the favor. "Do I look gullible to you?"

Angelica jumped off the stool, "He needs to bond with his family."

"Angelica..." Dil groaned, tired of the game.

"I usually put him down for a nap around 3PM." She blazed on as though Dil had said nothing.

"I don't have time for this, the lunch crowd will be in."

"Of course, pick him up something healthy, won't you? Here's a ten-spot. I need to get across town. You'll be a good boy for cousin Dil, won't you Sean?"

"Angelica!"

"Hmm?"

Dil slapped his forehead. "Three hours." He muttered under his breath.

"Five. It'll take me that long to shop, and another hour each way for traffic."

"Four."

"Four and a half." Angelica sang, bending down to kiss her son goodbye.

Dil banged his arm on the counter loudly enough to get the attention of everyone in the cafe. "Just go already before I find my spine!"

"It's in my purse." The blonde grinned. "You know, right next to your dignity? See you later, Pickles."

Dil waved her off, shaking his head to himself as she left, the attention of several tables still focused on him. "Um, refills on the house?"

Many of the customers went back to their drinks but Dil could see the smirking face of Reggie Rocket pulling up a seat at the end of the bar. "On the house, you say?"

"Don't you ever have to work?" Dil asked.

"All done," she said. "And I'm so glad. I caught drinks and a show."

"It's not that she can get me to do what she wants," Dil explained. "It's the way she emasculates me while doing it. I've got to get hints from Phil."

"I think the difference is that you're stuck with her by genetics," Reggie told him.

"Don't suppose you could help?" he asked, coming out from behind the counter to pick up Sean from his stroller. "I'm busy enough as it is."

"Sorry, no," Reggie told him. "Babies are not my thing."

"Come on, Reg," he said, picking up the toddler and holding it out before her. "Doesn't he just make your heart melt? With his big wide eyes and his cute little nose and that gummy little smile? Doesn't he just make you want to say, 'Come to me, little one, and I will take good care of you.'?"

Reggie stared at the baby and her expression gradually softened, reaching out to the baby. Sean extended his hand across the gap and grasped her finger. "Oh..." she let out in a high pitched sigh. "He's just...so...cute...it makes me want to say, oh yes, Dil, I'd love to babysit with you. Looking at his cute little face makes me realise what it is I've been missing out of life. My life is truly complete now."

Dil breathed out a sigh of relief.

And an instant later, Reggie's face had turned back into her all-but patented smirk. "There, I've played along with your little baby-talk fantasy. Happy now?"

8 - * - * - 8

_Yet another tast of the upcoming "From Here On", a crossover featuring characters from Rugrats/All Grown Up, Rocket Power, The Weekenders, Hey Arnold, The Wild Thornberrys, and others. Episode one, "Dinner Plans", will be out this Friday, so keep your eyes peeled on this account. And please, really, let us know what you think!_

_Acepilot & LordMalachite_


End file.
